Kenneth Boikhutswane
4 July 2008
Seven Botswana players leave today to take part in the South African Open Chess Championships which start this evening in Centurion, Pretoria.
The team, made up of five women and two men, is expected to use the tournament as part of preparations for the upcoming World Chess Olympiad. Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) treasurer Chadza Bontsi leads the team to the South African Open.
Woman Grandmaster (WGM) Tuduetso Sabure, national champion Woman FIDE Master Boikhutso Mudongo, Tshepiso Lopang, Ontiretse Sabure and Keitumetse Mokgacha make the women team while Moakofi Notha and Bojosi Sabure are the men players. Notha and Bojosi finished joint third in the just ended national team playoffs. BCF had initially planned to send the entire men's team to South Africa but changed plans because of financial constraints. Bontsi said since there is a zonal tournament in Maputo, Mozambique two days after the conclusion of the South African Open they saw it fit to send only two men to Pretoria. The full men's squad will be in Maputo for the zonal tournament which is a team event contested by top players in the region. The South African Open is a prestigious tournament with a first prize of R10,000.
The greatest players in Southern Africa have always attended the event and previous winners include International Master (IM) Watu Kobese of South Africa, Zambian GM-elect Amon Simutowe and his compatriot and IM Stanley Chumfwa. As usual the former champions are expected to play in the South African Open and Notha and Bojosi can expect a tough time. In the women's section, Sabure is Botswana's strongest player, having brushed aside all opponents to win the 2004 edition. The only factor that might work against Sabure is lack of match practice, as she has not featured in any chess event this year. As one of only two WGMs in Africa, she will be on the spot to prove that she still carries the punch that made her African champion in 2005.
BCF will send the men's team only to Maputo and already a training camp has been organised. The team of Botswana number one Ignatius Njobvu, FIDE Master Phemelo Khetho, national champion Providence Oatlhotse, Tebogo Pitlagano and Barileng Gaealafshwe will be on camp from Monday until Thursday next week. On Friday, the players leave for Mozambique for the event that runs from 13-19 July. The Maputo event will see teams fielding four main players and one reserve for the first time after changes by the World Chess Federation. This will give more players the much-needed experience.
Previously, teams had two reserves.
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